System and method for implementing authentication web services for remote portlets

Abstract

A web services system enables web servers to serve pages that utilize remote portlets. A consumer system serves pages that utilize remote portlets stored on one or more producer systems. When a user accesses a page utilizing a remote portlet, the consumer system contacts the producer system, obtains content for the page and presents the page to the user.

1 . A machine readable medium having instructions stored thereon that when executed by a processor cause a system to: 
 store a page configured to utilize a remote portlet stored on a producer system;    accept authentication information from a user;    perform an authentication operation for the user;    accept a request for content associated with the remote portlet; and    transmit an identity assertion for the user to the producer system in response to the request for content when the authentication operation completes successfully.    
     
     
         2 . The machine readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the identity assertion comprises a digital signature.  
     
     
         3 . The machine readable medium of  claim 2 , wherein the digital signature comprises a token.  
     
     
         4 . The machine readable medium of  claim 2 , wherein the digital signature comprises a username and password.  
     
     
         5 . The machine readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the authentication information comprises a username and password for the user.  
     
     
         6 . The machine readable medium of  claim 1 , further comprising instructions that when executed by a processor cause the system to: 
 accept a request for content associated with a second remote portlet on a second producer system; and    transmit the identity assertion for the user to the second producer system.    
     
     
         7 . The machine readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the portlet is a struts portlet.  
     
     
         8 . The machine readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the portlet is a page flow portlet.  
     
     
         9 . A machine readable medium having instructions stored thereon that when executed by a processor cause a system to: 
 store a plurality of portlets, the portlets configured to function as applications within web pages stored on remote consumers;    receive a request for content associated with a portlet from a consumer system utilizing the portlet, the content requiring authentication;    receive an identity assertion from the consumer for a user of the consumer; and    authenticate the user of the consumer in response to receiving the identity assertion.    
     
     
         10 . The machine readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the portlet is a struts portlet.  
     
     
         11 . The machine readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the portlet is a page flow portlet.  
     
     
         12 . The machine readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the identity assertion comprises a digital signature.  
     
     
         13 . The machine readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the digital signature comprises a token.  
     
     
         14 . The machine readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the digital signature comprises a username and password.  
     
     
         15 . A consumer system comprising:  
       one or more pages comprising proxy portlets configured to access portlets on a producer; and  
       an authentication component configured to: 
 perform an authentication for a user;  
 accept a request for a page associated with secure content on the producer; and  
 transmit an identity assertion to the producer in response to the authentication of the user and receiving the request.  
 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the portlet is a struts portlet.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the portlet is a page flow portlet.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the identity assertion comprises a digital signature.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the digital signature comprises a token.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the digital signature comprises a username and password.  
     
     
         21 . A method for authenticating a user of a portlet accessed through a remote consumer, the method comprising: 
 storing a plurality of portlets, the portlets configured to function as applications within web pages stored on remote consumers;    receiving a request for content associated with the portlet from a consumer system utilizing the portlet, the content requiring authentication;    receiving an identity assertion from the consumer for a user of the consumer; and    authenticating the user of the consumer in response to receiving the identity assertion.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the portlet is a struts portlet.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the portlet is a page flow portlet.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the identity assertion comprises a digital signature.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the digital signature comprises a token.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the digital signature comprises a username and password.